Articles in Parsha Insights
The Jewish Core Emerges
The Jewish core has emerged stronger than ever these past few weeks. The monstrous massacre, compounded by the public blaming Jews for it, was a murderous double stab to the collective Jewish heart. The fact that some of our decades-long friends and neighbors have turned on us so suddenly left …
I Love You
“Creator of the world. Please, I love you. I’m in love with you. Please don’t disappoint me. I love you.”
These loving, pleading words came from Margalit Megidish as she prayed for her daughter, Ori, whom Hamas took hostage. Ori Megidish is a soldier who served on a base near Gaza …
The Power of Unity
The power of unity is palpable across the holy land these days. It is an incredible shift from how things were less than a month ago. For many months, Jews were screaming at each other in support and in protest of the government’s planned judicial overhaul. The invectives hurled were …
On the Question of Human Shields
The question of human shields has been in the news a lot these past few weeks. As Israel responds to the heinous massacre of innocent civilians, men, women, and children, perpetrated by the sub-human Hamas terrorists, it is being accused of targeting innocent civilians.
Some of these accusers are the very …
The Opposite of Goodness Is Indifference
Indifference is the opposite of goodness. This quote has been attributed to many, including Eli Wiesel. Its authorship notwithstanding, its message is powerful.
Noah was a righteous man, but he was not a good man because he was indifferent. G-d selected Noah for survival because he was righteous and whole, but …
When G-d Begs Forgiveness
This week we read that sometimes even G-d begs forgiveness. The story of Genesis tells us that when G-d first created the luminaries, He made the sun and the moon equal in stature—two equal rulers. How did the moon become so small and dependant on the sun for light?
The Talmud …
End of the Hakhel
We are at the end of a hakhel year. The seventh year of the cycle is shemitah—the sabbatical, when the land is left fallow, and everything that grows belongs to everyone equally. The following year is hakhel; all farms, vineyards, olive groves, etc., are back in business.
Hakhel means to gather. …
A Tale of Two Desires
Life is a tale of two desires. Sometimes, I think I know what I want, and I think that if I only had that, I would be happy. Then the darndest thing happens. I get what I thought would make me happy, and I am still not happy. What does …
